Daniel Sturridge got a rare start for Liverpool in the Champions League game against Red Star tonight, with Roberto Firmino rested.
But he didn’t do his cause any good after missing an absolute sitter in the 16th minute of the game.
The ball fell to him in the box and from just a few yards out, when it seemed that he had to score, he blazed his shot over the bar.
Worse was to come as Red Star took advantage of his profligacy and took the lead in the 22nd minute and then added another in the 29th minute to race into a shock 2-0 lead.
Sturridge was taken off at half-time and that was the way the game ended in a huge disappointment for Liverpool that could end up having big Champions League repercussions.
COMMENTARY
Many Liverpool fans ‘enjoy’ a love/hate relationship with Sturridge. Anyone can miss a simple chance but when it’s away in the Champions League and when your opponents go on and score two quick-fire goals shortly after, it really magnifies your miss. It actually seemed harder to miss than score and if Sturridge had taken his chance there’s no doubt that this game would be completely different. As it is, Liverpool suffered a defeat in the capital of Serbia and that could have a disastrous effect on their Champions League hopes. They’ve got Napoli and PSG to come, and this would definitely have been a game that Klopp would have targeted for three points. Liverpool fans will be hoping that Napoli and PSG play out a draw tonight, which would see them stay top of the group on goal difference. There’s two hard games to come then though, and what looked like being a simple and straightforward qualification, has suddenly got awfully hard.
No point in Sturridge being on the pitch if he’s missing them. Offers nothing else
— Joe P (@JoeParry_96) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/UnKloppable/status/1059871678468161537
Starting sturridge is always a problem.
— Amadu (@amadu38) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/DB_LFC1/status/1059873435743150080
That shocking miss from Sturridge has already come back to haunt us..
— Shane* (@Conwaino) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/Dezso98/status/1059873278376980482
https://twitter.com/dannysteen_/status/1059872970028576768
https://twitter.com/WiggzLFC/status/1059872898163335168
Been bang average until the last 5 minutes and now we’re playing much better. Sturridge should have scored.
— T (@TVR_LFC) November 6, 2018